Protective outfit



March 24, 1953 SPANDAU PROTECTIVE OUTFIT Filed Jan. 24, 1951 PatentedMar. 24, 1 953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PROTECTIVE OUTFIT LudwigSpandau, Arverne, N. Y.

Application January 24, 1951, Serial No. 207,569

4 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in a protectiveoutfit to be worn by firemen, air-raid wardens and the like, and has foran object to provide an outfit that is especially intended as aprotection against fire, heat, smoke, and poisonous gases; and for usein dissipating smoke, fighting fire, disinfecting areas, decontaminatingpoisoned air, and neutralizing poison gases.

Still another object of the invention is to propide a protective outfitthat will provide a certain amount of protection against radio-activity.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a protective outfitagainst dust-charged radio-activity.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an outfit so that aspray may be liberated to disinfect the air, say within an air-raidshelter, and thus provide a protection against any dangerous gases thatmight be within the shelter.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an outfit whereindifferent fire-fighting chemicals may be used in a portable tank tofightfire, etc., while the suit will protect the wearer against teargas, lung gas, toxic smokes, and especially against blister or mustardgases.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an outfit comprisinga suit that entirely covers the body to thus protect the body againstgases and liquids; and to provide a portable tank so that desiredfire-fighting chemicals can be carried therein and releases therefrom bythe wearer; and, especially, to provide a special form of helmet so thata spray of chemicals and water from the tank may be shot upwardly intothe air to dissipate the smoke and the gases, and may be directeddownwardly over the suit to thus keep the wearer cool forself-protection in places of great heat or fire.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an outfit that maybe used for spraying purposes where the wearer requires protection fromthe spray being used.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnew and novel arrangements and combination of parts as will behereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

Referring now to the drawings, showing a preferred embodiment,

Fig. l is a side elevation of the Protective Outfit shown on the wearerand with the baffle plate on the helmet swung to the rear to allow theliquid and spray to be shot into the air,

Fig. 2 is a similar view from the opposite side,

2 showing the baffie plate in position to direct the liquid and spraydownwardly over the wearer,

Fig. 3 is a perspective of the helmet, showing the baflle plate inposition to direct the liquid and spray downwardly,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, detailed, sectional view of the baffle platearrangement, the dotted lines showing the baffle plate swung from oneposition to the other,

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but taken at right angles thereto,and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the several views and to Figs. 1 and 2, for the moment,there is shown the protective suit I that is made of Vinyl, which as iswell known is a thermoplastic and has the desired characteristic for asuit to protect the wearer agains poisonous gases and radio-activity.

I preferably add 3% of lead powder to the Vinyl as then the suit willWithstand radioactivity up to approximately 300 units gamma. The suit iswhite, as this will tend to deflect the radio-active rays and also makesthe wearer more visible in the darkness.

The gloves 2, as well as the shoes 3, should be of the same material(Vinyl) so that the hands and feet of the wearer will also be protectedagainst poisonous gases and radio-active rays, etc.

The gas mask or hood 4 will be fitted under the neck of the suit I toalso protect the wearer, and this gas mask 4 is generally made ofrubber.

Thus the entire body and head of the wearer are protected against teargas (chloracetophenone, brombenzylcyanide), lung gas phosgene,chlorpicrin), and toxic smokes like adamsite, di-' phenylchlorarsine,and especially against blister gases (mustard gases).

With a suit of this kind, the wearer has complete protection therefromagainst most known dangerous poisonous gases; and will be enabled tocross in safety the most dangerously contaminated zones.

I have found that Vinyl of eight thousandths of an inch .008") gaugethickness will afford the desired protection and is relatively light inweight.

It will be understood that a suit made of synthetic rubber or Fiberglasmixed with the same amount of lead powder, or a slightly greaterpercentage, will also be effective, but will be much heavier in weight.

Referring now to the gist of the invention and to Fig. 3, for themoment, there is shown a heL- met which is skeleton in form andpreferably consists of the metal bowed rods 6, which may be of aluminum,copper or any other desired metal, while encircling the lower edge ofthe frame is the relatively thick rubber band I so that this helmet 5may be secured over the hood 4 (as shown in Figs. 1 and 2) By making thehelmet 5 of a skeleton frame and by having the rubber holding band I,the helmet 5 may be easily and quickly fitted over the hood or gas mask4 worn by the wearer without any necessary adjustments.

Secured to the apex of the bows 6 may be seen a pipe 8, to the free endof which is secured a metal nozzle 9; while supported by the nozzle 9and the pipe 8 may be seen the rigid arm it, on which there is a smallmetal upright ll (see'liig. 4).- over which is fitted a hollow metaltube l2, which is provided with a notch l3 (see Fig. 5) at its lowerend. Rigidly secured to the upper end of the tube I2 is a metal bafiieplate 14 with a downwardlyfiaringrim [5, as may-be seenin the severalviews.

Secured to the arm iii and through the inner end of the bailie plate I4is the spring i6, which will hold the baffle plate i4 and the tube E2 ina set position, until it is raised by hand, so that the notch l3 will bedisengaged from the arm H], after which the tube i2 and the baflie plateit may be swung 180, and then the notch l3 will again be engaged by thearm 23.

Thus, the wearer may turn the baffle plate E5 to the position shown inFig. 1 when the liquid and spray, about to be mentioned, are to be shotupwardly into the air; or, the baiile plate i may be'tiu'ned to theposition shown in Fig. 2, so that the liquid and spray will hit it(baffle plate E 5) and be directed downwardly over the wearer. Thus thebafile plate [4 will remain in either set position until intentionallymoved by the wearer.

On the other end of the pipe 8 is shown a connection I! so that the pipe8 may be quickly fastened to a pipe I8 leadin from a portable tank i9;and there is a valve 28 in the line so that this spray may be cut oil orturned on at any time at the nozzle 9.

From the tank [9 there is another hose or tube 2| with a nozzle 22 sothat the liquid and spray may be directed from the tank [9 and thenozzle 22, to be guided by the hand of the wearer. There is also a valve23 just behind the nozzle 22 (as may be seen in Fig. 2) so that theliquid and the spray from the tank 19 may be cut off at any moment.

The-tank I8 is of conventional form andhas a handle 24 so that airpressure may be forced into the tank IE! to cause the liquid and sprayunder pressure to be. shot from either the nozzle 9 or the nozzle 22. orboth, at the same time.

Also, as may be seen in Figs. 1 and 2, there are provided straps 25 thatare to be attached to the tank l9 to pass over the shoulders of thewearer so that the latter may have both hands free.

The tank I6 is filled with water and chloramine (C7HiClNO2SNa3HzO),preferably in the proportion of 2 parts of chloramine to 100 parts ofwater. Usually chloramine contains 1l.5-13% active chlor. and thisactive ingredient will tend to kill microbes, neutralize poison gases,and at the same time destroy the smoke and refresh the air. Of course,other chemicals can also be used in the tank I9, but I find, the onementioned most effective.

It will be understood that the helmet 5 is completely. separate andapart from. the garment and may be used with other fire-protectivegarments; but I have found the one made of Vinyl to be exceedinglyeffective for the purpose.

It will be understood that I have not shown the details of constructionof the suit, as it may have belts, protective zippers, etc., so that thesuit can be slipped on quickly; and I find it can be put on, in the caseof an emergency, in about two minutes.

I have also found that the weight of the garment I including the gasmask or hood 4 and the helmet 5, and the pressure tank I!) is about 17lbs. The water tank [9 itself weighs about 9 lbs. while the garment Iweighs 7 lbs, and the helmet 5 and gas mask or hood 4 weigh about /2 lb.each. The-weightof the water in the tank IS with its chemicals is about22 lbs. Thus, it will be seen that the protective-outfit is relativelylight in weight and should not be tiring to the wearer.

By having a coupling 1? at the end of the pipe 3, .it is an easy matterto connect another tank, if so desired, to the helmet pipe in anemergency rather than waitin to re-fill the exhausted tank.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a protectiveoutfit that can be used for fire fighting, ole-contaminating the air,such as poisoned air, in air-raid shelters, buildings, etc.;disinfection purposes, and neutralization of most of the known poisongases.

Furthermore, by providing this helmet with its nozzle and bailieplate,.the chemicals can be shot up into the air to dissipate smoke, ordirected downwardly over the wearer in case of great heat or fire.

Although the suit is especially designed for use in extinguishing fires,disinfecting areas, and neutralizing poisonous gases, it might haveother commercial uses.

Many slight changes might be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a helmet for fire-fighting purposes and the like, a metal frame,an elastic band around the lower end of the frame for holding the helmeton the head of the wearer, an inlet pipe secured to the outer surface ofthe frame, a nozzle connected therewith, mounted on the top of thehelmet and pointing upwardly, an upright mounted on the top of thehelmet, a rotatable tube on said upright and a bafile plate secured tothe said rotatable tube and positioned over the nozzle and. rotatable toa position out of alignment with the nozzle.

2. In a'helmet for fire-fighting purposes and the like, a skeletonframe, an elastic band around the lower end of the frame for holding thehelmet on the head of the wearer, an inlet pipe secured to the outersurface of the frame, a nozzle connected therewith mounted on the top ofthe helmet and pointing upwardly; an upright mounted on top of thehelmet and a tube mounted over said upright for rotation, and having abaffle plate secured thereto, the baffle plate extending over the nozzleand rotatable to a position out of alignment with the nozzle, and meansconnected with the afore-mentioned pipe for forcing a liquid through thenozzle and against the bafile plate when the same is in position overthe nozzle.

3. In a helmet for fire-fighting purposes and the like, a skeletonframe, an elastic band around the lower end of; the frame'for holdingthe helmet on the head of the wearer, an inlet pipe secured to the outersurface of the frame, a nozzle connected therewith, mounted on the topof the helmet and pointing upwardly; an upright, a sleeve mounted onsaid upright for rotation, a baffle plate secured to the upper end ofthe sleeve and positioned over the nozzle, and rotatable to a positionout of alignment with the nozzle, and means for temporarily locking thebaffle plate in a position over the nozzle and to one side of thenozzle.

4. A helmet, consisting of a curved metal frame, an elastic means forholding the frame together and over the head of the wearer, a pipesecured to the top of the frame, a nozzle on the end thereof pointingupwardly and an arm extending from said nozzle; an upright secured tosaid arm, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said arm, a baflie plate securedto the upper end of 6 said sleeve, and said baffle plate free to rotateto a position over the nozzle and beyond the nozzle; and spring meansfor holding the sleeve and baflie plate locked in both positions.

LUDWIG SPANDAU.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

